Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-12-15
WHAT is ANARoHYa
The Definition Of German Ameri-
can Newspaper.
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The Definition OF German Ameri- !
can Newspaper.
foolumbua Westbole.l
Some days ago 1t was reported that
alady, who freely admitted her Anarch-
istic proclivities, but at the same
time declared that she had never
taken any active part in Anarchistic
agitation or demonstrations, went into
cognizance for John Most, the renown-
ed leader and expounder of Anarchism
In the United States. Now we serious
ly doubt whether this inactive"
female Anarchist ever had a proper
conception Of Anarchism or went to
any considerable trouble in the en-
deavor to find the true meaning of the
term. An Anarchist, according to our
understanding, is a person who seeks to
establish that state of society which
the ancient Greeks called Anarcheia,
meaning q state of society which Is de-
void of any recognized government or
legal authority-a state ofabsolute law
lessness. A revolutionary movement
may, temporarily, bring about such a
condition of things-as has been re,
peatedly and may again be experienced
In Franee-but 1t generally lasts but
short time. till the well meaning and
oyder.lovIpg elements Of society will
rise and restore legal authority In some
shape. Generally however, a reign Of
despotism is the natural immediate re-
snlt of Anarchism. Knowing, then,
the consequences of absolute lawless-
ness. as repeatedly demonstrated in the
history of nations, any one who tries to
make the establishment of such state
of society a party creed ought to be
considered fit subject for admission to
q lunatic asylum. 1t may happen that
O system of government which .politi-
cal party may strive to introduce, may
be inferior to the one at present en-
loved, but under any system OF govern
ment and in every civilized state OF
society there must certainly be law and
authority for the protection Of the
weak against the strong. Supposing
the Aparchists should ever succeed in
destroying the power of capital, would
they not be compelled to enact laws
and institute authorities to prevent the
elements inimical to labor from regain
ing their power? They simply aim at
the present state of society, letting
chaos reign and matters take care of
themselves. This in itself is an adj
mission that they have nothing better
to offer. The Anarchist who tells you
that the present social condition is
abominable and unbearable is at q loss
for an answer if you ask him what
remedy he has in store for 1t. Even II
he was given the power of extirpoting
the evils complained of, he could not,
If true to his tenets. avail himself Ct
this power, since he proclaims as his
ultimate aim the destruction Of all
legal authority, be it employed for the
protection of capital or in the interest
of labor. It seems obvious that per-
son enthralled by such idiotic ideas can
not be o friend to the workingman; in
fact. we contend that he is worse
enemy of labor than he is of capital
Supposing his Anarchistic state OF
society would actually be brought
about, and everything be turned topsy-
turvy, could not the capitalist, with
his flexible wealth, more easily emf
crate and invest his available means in
other countries than the laborer:
What should the workingman do In
such chaotic state of society after
capital had been expelled, commerce
and industry laid lame and thereby
every means OF making a living beer
destroyed? The workingman has sci.
dom the means to emigrate to another
country, and even If he had would he
be likely to find immediate employ.
ment? Nothing, therefore, would be
left for him but to starve with his fami.
ly or to take, by force, from his fellow
l,.s S,f FNIlis
scheme of robbery might be very salts
factory to those excelling in physica
strength, but would be much les:
agreeable to the weaker ones, who
would suffer from such robbery. 1t il
self-evident that the physically strong
est and the most brutal and overbear
ing would benefit from such state o
society, while the weak and the timit
would suffer.
The Socialist who would make thu
individual simply ward of the Gov
ernment, as well as the Communist
who would abolish the ownership o
private property, have at least sons
positive program or platform, to affor(
an occasion for argument. They alst
want to obliterate the present state o
society, but when they propose to sub
stitute new order of things, which, t
them at least seems preferable. Blu
the apostle of Ararchism has no posi-
tive program. He would destroy with
out an idea Of how to build up again.
He calls the agents of government
''beasts of order,n and declares his in
tention of annihilating all lawful au
thority. With people Of this stamp !
is as impossible to argue as it is i'm
possible to formulate their crank,
notions into sensible political or scien
tiiic system.
The feather-bed warriors, the hun
dred days men, when they talk abou
their war exploits reminds one of tn
following story: A man by the nam
OfEmith drove a sutler's wagon for